Machine for mechanically finishing roadway concrete coverings



June 6, 1933. J. A. H. FED] 1,912,975

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY FINISHING ROADWAY CONCRETE COVERINGS Filed Aug. 19, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l g I am/vwzz June 6, 1933.

J. A. H. FEDI MACHINE FOR MEGHANICALLY FINISHING ROADWAY CONCRETE COVERINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F led Aug. 19

June 6, 1933. J. A.'H. FEDI 1,912,976

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY FINISHING ROADWAY CONCRETE COVERINGS Filed Aug. 19, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 6, 1933 m i Q Q A UNITE, STATES PATENT" oFFicE JUSTIN ANDRE HECTOR FEDI, OF PARIS, FRANCE MACHINE FOR MEGHANICALLY FINISHING ROAD-WAY CONCRETE COVERINGS Application filed August 19, 1930, Serial No. 476,400, and in France August 29, 1929. i i

This invention relates to machines for mesessing all the special qualities of this type chanically finishing roadway concrete covof concrete covering, and presenting moreerings. over the perfection of the finish of the rolling surface which is particular to concrete r coverings composed of fine elements.

Concrete coverings for roadways a usuah It isto be understood that the said invenly eXecuted With fine S Ilc elementstion is, a fortiori, applicable for lDGCl'UZtlllCal- Now, the use of large adequate fit-0116 ly executing concrete coverings composed of ments: fine elements, this construction being much 5 1. Generalities concerning concrete coocm'ngs 10 (1) allows to obtains much more considmcre'easy th th preceding 60 allows Obtain g covermgc, eration's; ramming and finishing of the cova 4;) Permanent rugosity or roughness f concrete pressures must be exerted at the same moment erable resistance to wear and breaking,

which is very important particularly for the Bette fundamental method eweautwn covering Oi roadways Where t tmflic 1s The constructionof a concrete roadway heavy and intense. covering necessitates, among others, two opthe roughness or rugosity of which is natursling y nminmined in Proportion to the of These two operations are usually effected the Coverings, it results fTOnT the y with the samemechanical apparatus or the constitution of the latter throughout its m machine i thickness- This q y Obviously y -either 1--the usual street-roller for important, particularly for the covering of ballastino, but f a lighfltype.

roadways where the trafiic is rapid. g ll meehanica] electric But the production of a perfectly smooth rammers. i A rolling surface, which is so easy to obtain 7 with coverings presenting a cement layer or a rollinglayer made of concrete composed of fine stone elements, is diflicult and necessitates special handling and arrangements when a rolling layer composed of large elements is to be produced.

However, the perfection of the finish of the rolling surface so appreciated by users of the road, does not certainly present any interest if it is but momentary, owing to the rapid deterioration of a covering, the resistance of which is insuificient for the trailic it has to support, or if it is obtained. to the detriment of theproper adherence of the wheels of vehicles on the covering, the use of which is.

then very dangerous.

-or 3--a curved beam which, guided. a ong the longitudinal forms or moulds, mechanically rams, by reproducing in a single operation, the entire transverse profile of the covering strip executed (transverse gauge finishing apparatus) a so -or 4a straight beam, one or two meters long, mounted in a frame carried by two operators, and which vibrates, in the vertical direction, rapidly, but with a very small stroke, under the action of pneumatic vibras5 tors (vibrating rammer).

Now, the most efficient ramming apparatus must exert, on fresh concrete, very hi gh unitary pressures, which can then be simultaneously exerted on a small surface only, 90 t is therefore necessary to, carry out the plzhilstwtlre finishing1 machines, which execute perfection of the finish only according to con- 05:81 ig most perfect, m ditions allowing to obtain, in their integral- 18113113 exert rash 9 m: but r613" ity, the primordial qualities of resistance and tlvely m ll unitary pressures, but these coverings on a width or length of covering as large as The present invention has particularly for P0SS1b18- object to allow of mechanically executing It results from thls fundamental observaconcrete roadway coverings with a rolling tion that for eifecting these two operations 1 1 l layer composed of large stone elements, poswithout totally or partially executing one of these operations to the detriment of the other, that is to say:

(1) for effecting a very powerful ramming of the concrete, this ramming, in the same measure as the other features of the covering, always largely improved the resistance of the same and is, in any way, indispensable for concrete coverings composed of large stone elements; and,

(2) for obtaining a perfect finishing of the covering, this finishing, in the same measure as the other features, renders it much more agreeable for the trafiic, reduces to the minimum the consumption of fuel, allows the highest speeds, and also contributes to the good preservation of the covering. I suggest the execution of each of these ramming and finishing operations with entirely dis tinct machines or apparatus, so as to avoid any interference, even partial, between these two operations which are so essential.

3. Better ramming method concrete, and at a sufiicient speed, blows I which only striking on a surface ofone or two square decimeters, are very powerful per unit of surface, so that the stone elements, even of relatively large size of rammed concrete, are successfully and very powerfully pressed against each other.

It is to be further mentioned, for overcoming a common objection, that the regularity of ramming, by means of rammers, of a covering surface, can be obtained in practice in quite a satisfactory manner by allotting to each rammer, and for each transverse strip of covering, a portion of surface to be rammed, each rammer being displaced on this surface at a suitable average rate and so as to entirely cover it at least twice, and particularly one time by tracing longitudinal bands and the other time by tracing trans verse bands, crossing the first ones at a right angle.

4. Improved finishing method tion of the lengthwise profiles is, even in practice, desirable in a nearly absolute manner, as it is usually by following these profiles that vehicles pass over roadway coverings. 'N ow, it is necessary that the longitudinal profiles should nearly exactly coincide with the theoretical profiles in order that this passage may take place:

(1) for all vehicles with the minimum of resistance to rolling.

(2) for rapidly moving vehicles by giving rise only to the minimum of shocks and trepidations consisient with the speed obtained and with the more or less perfect construction of the vehicle used.

Now, the verification of the perfection of the finish of an ordinary transverse covering strip or band in straight alignmentcan be effected;

((4) either by displacing on the straight forms or moulds, laterally secured according to the lengthwise profile, a gauge reproduc ing the crosswise profile;

(b) or by moving on forms or moulds reproducing the crosswise profile and secured at both transverse ends of the covering strip or band to be verified, a straight ruler reproducing the lengthwise profile.

Theoretically, both methods of verification have obviously the same value, but in praciice, it is the method (2')) which, because it provides direct verification of the lengthwise profile, allows an operator to better control the perfection of these profiles, which perfection has the priority over the perfection of the crosswise profiles.

For this reason, to the finishing obtained according to the method (a), either by hand, or by means of finishing machines provided with a movable transverse gauge, I distinctly prefer (all things being equal) the finishing executed according'to the method For effecting the finishing according to the method (1)) it has already been proposed to use a roller having a relatively small diameter, a length slightly greater than or equal to that of the transverse covering strip and of suitable weight, and to cause it to roll alternatively in one direction and the other on guides (or between guides) shaped according to the crosswise profile to be obtained and secured at each transverse end of the transverse covering strip or band to be finished.

This solution, although still manual, is obviously much preferable to that obtained by utilizing, with similar guides, a simple ruler, or better a straight beam of adequate weight, which is alternately lifted. at each end and allowed to drop, by slightly displacing it, after each blow, in the transverse direction.

5. New finishing vitae/Lire way coverings, which machine mechanically executes the finishing operation eifectedby a roller of great length and small diameter rolling on transverse guides.

This machine, simple, strong, very easily operable, is suitable forconcrete coverings of any type, aswell for coverings composed of large stone elements, as for thosecomposed of small elements, and for any width and profile of roadways.

' It is mainly characterized by two longitudinal: rollers of small diameter relatively to their length, the latter being slightly greater thanthat of the transverse covering band to be finished. p

The accompanying drawings illustrate a machine for finishing roadway coverings, devised in accordance with the present invention. i p i Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of the machine asseen in the longitudinal direction of the road.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding partial plan view.

Figs. 3 to 9 illustrate a form of construction 'of the machine, the principle of which is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 3 is aplanview of the machine in its entirety. I

Fig. 1 is a corresponding side elevation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, made according to line I-I of Fig.

Fig. dis a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, made according to line IL-II of Fig. 3.

Fig.7 is a section made according to line HIIII of Fig. 5. 1

Fig. 8 is a section, on an enlarged scale, made accordingto lineIVIV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section made to line V--V of Fig.5.

As diagrammatically illustrated in Figs.1 and 2, the apparatus comprises two longitndinal rollers 1 and 2 pivoted at? and 4 on a frame 5. v

Theserollers are both driving rollers and are actuated. by the engine diagrammatically illustrated at 6. The driving shaft is shown at 7. This shaft is arranged parallel to the rollers 1 and 2 and it drives, throughthe medium of a speed reducing. device 9, a shaft 10 co-axial with the first one, which transmits the movement to the rollers in the same direction for instance by means of chains 11.

Some of the bearings supporting the axles of the longitudinal rollers are movable, and

they are so movable that, even in the course of the finishing operation, exact parallellsm of thelongitudinal rollers,or a slight momentary deviationof one of them may be easily obtained. This deviation is particularly useful for allowing to easily and progressively modify, during the finishingoperation, the general orientation of the machine by aslight oblique displacement of the latter. 1

' The engine also transmits its movement, through the medium of a transverse shaft 12, to a transverse roller 13 (transverse driving roller) Another transverse roller. which serves forsteering but not fordriving, is arranged at the other end of themachine and is notillustrated in the drawings. Both transverse rollers are so mounted as to be lifted,

to a sufficient height, above the ground, when the machine isin working. position as illustrated, or, on the contrary, to rest on the ground so as to allow the longitudinal displacement of the entire machine on these rollers 13. For that purpose, the rollers 13 are, for instance, mounted on support 15 capable of rotating about a shaft 16. Any lifting apparatus, such. as a mechanical or hydraulic jack 19, allows of giving to the sup port 13 the suitable position and of causing the machine to rest either on the longitudinal rollers 1 and 2 during the finishing operation, or on the transverse rollers 13 during the transport from a transverse covering strip to another. i

For this transport (longitudinal progression) the movement is transmitted from the crete, of concrete pads prejudicious to the regularity of the finish. An excessive weight would also necessitate the use of a very powerful engine, with all the lnconveniences this would causefor such a machine.

In accordance with the above mentioned principles, the machine is exclusively a finishing-apparatus the essential function of which is to regularize, by appiication of the best actual method, the surface of the concrete (composed of large elements) forming the rolling layers of concrete coverings, this operation being however effected only immediately after powerful and repeated ramming of the concrete, by rammers or other ramming or compressionapparatus.

This machine must therefore act only as a finishing machine, but it fulfills this function in the best conditions. I

It is to be noted that thelongitudinal rollers 1 and 2 of the machine have a length slightly greater than the transverse covering band or strip to be finished, and that the excess of length must be sufficient for ensuring a suitable connection of the finishing surface of the new transverse band with the preceding transverse band. i

The concrete coverings are provided with transverse contraction joints, located at about 10 meters from each other and the interval between two joints is executed in two successive operations of application of concrete, each operation beingconsequently executed on a transverse strip or band of about meters, in length.

For executing such transverse bands, the finishing machine provided with longitudinal rollers must therefore have rollers about 5.50m long.

It is obvious that the machine can be provided with rollers of very different length and this according to the length of the transverse covering bands executed in a single op eration.

Thus, for executing a concrete covering on a road having a large number of turns, it will be useful to employ, for executing curved portions of the covering, a finishing machine provided with longitudinal rollers having a length of only 2.50 to 3 meters for instance. But it will probably not be desirable to go below this limit.

When the covering in course of execution is not lateraly bordered by an old roadway or by a solid driftwork at the same level, the longitudinal progression of the machine on the covering of these two transverse bands or strips seems to be the best method.

But it is necessary that this progression should not deteriorate the regularized surface of the finished transverse band. In order to avoid this inconvenience:

(1) the transverse rollers have a sufficient length and diameter;

(2) the above progression takes place on a raceway constituted by a sheet metal plate of sufficient thickness, slightly wider than the transverse rollers and arranged on the length of the finished transverse covering band and, eventually, also on the length of the transverse covering band ready to be finished.

(3) the progression takes place on the portion of the finished covering, the crosswise profile of which is most similar to the rectilinear profile of the rollers.

In these conditions, as soon as the finishing of a transverse covering band is terminated and it is desired to cause the machme to pass on the following transverse covering band, the sheet metal plate constituting the raceway is first arranged at the required place, and this operation can be effected owing to the length of the sheet metal plate which exceeds thatof the transverse covering band, by operators who stand, with the required precautions, outside the fresh concrete the finishing of which has just been terminated.

The machine is then brou ht b transverse z: a progression, on the raceway. Then, the transverse rollers are placed in working po .sition and, finally, the machine is caused to pass, by longitudinal progression, on the transverse covering band which is ready to be finished, after having eventually placed on the latter band and in alignment with the first one, a second sheet metal plate of similar type forming a raceway.

As the length of the transverse rollers must not be too small and as these rollers must be arranged between the longitudinal rollers, without ever being hindered in any of the positions they are caused to assume, it is these conditions, added to those relating to the proper stability of the machine and to the housing of the other parts, which determine the spacing apart of the longitudinal rollers.

This spacing apart is not however exaggerated as, to a certain extent, the smaller it is, the better the machine is adapted to effect the finishing of covering bands of small width.

It is to be noted that the longitudinal rollers, whilst being sufiiciently rigid for preserving without material distortion their cylindrical shape, are given a small diameter in order that the rolling should practically continue up to the side ends of the covering.

Finally, for a long transport of the machine by road, from one working place to the other, the frame can be provided, for instance, at one end or at a suitable intermediate point, with a fixed axle on which can be mounted carrying wheels and, at the other end, with a bolster-bolt which can receive a suitable bogie, so as to allow transport, by dragging of the machine, which thus solely rests on the above mentioned detachable wheels. Consequently, the said wheels would be mounted on the said axle after the frame of the machine has been sufliciently lifted in order that all the longitudinal and transverse rollers may remain, during dragging, at a suflicient height above the ground, so as not to hinder the progression.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 3 to 9, the machine comprises a frame constituted by two parallel longitudinal bearers 21 and 22 and cross members bracing these longitudinal bearers. The two end cross members 23 and 24 support bearings 25 and 26, in which are mounted trunnions provided at the ends of the large finishing rollers 1 and 2. Two of these trunnions extend beyond their bearings and rigidly carry pinions 27 and 28 connected, by chains 29 and 30, to two pinions 31 arranged on a'plate 32 which, by means of a clutch 33, the arrangement of which may be variable and does not form a part of the invention, is connected to a shaft 34 on which it is loosely mounted. This shaft 34 is ournalled in bearings 35 carried by the cross members 36 and 24 of the frame. On the said shaft 34 are rigidly secured a spur wheel 37, a sprocket wheel 38 and a bevel pinion 39.

The spur wheel 37 constantly meshes with a gear wheel 40 which belongs to a sliding gear 41 loosely mounted on a shaft 42 journalled in bearings 43 carried by the cross members 36 and 44. The pinion 38 is longs to a second sliding gear 46 also loosely mounted on the shaft 42. Each of the sliding gears 41 and 46 is provided with a clutch cone 47 arranged adjacent to one of theelements of a double cone 48 and prevented from rotating and moving on the shaft 42. Two levers 49 and 50 are loosely mounted on the shaft 42 and are provided with inclines 51 in contact with fixed inclines; these levers are connector in translation, but not in rotation, with the sliding gears 41 46, so that the latter are subjected to translation along the' shaft 42 when the levers 49 and 50 are angularl moved. T 1e an ular displacements of m f 1 the levers 49 and 50 derrao a tense of shafts 51 and 52 provided, at one end, with levers 53 and 54 connected. ibfi lrnks55 and I 56, to the lovers 49 50. The control of the shafts 51 and 52 takes place bymeans ported by cross members 70.

The rollers allowing the machine to move longitudinally are, in the form of construc tion under consideration, three in number: a driving roller 13 and two steering rollers 71. The driving roller 13 is journalled in two bearings secured at the ends of races 72 vertir: cally guided relatively to the longitudinal bearers 21 and 22 and constantly gearing with pinions 7 3, rigidly mounted on a shaft 74, journalled in bearings 75 supported by the longitudinal bearers of the machine frame.

- At one of its ends, the shaft 74 carriesa worm wheel 76 constantly gearing with a worm 77, rigidly mounted on a shaft 78, ournalled 1n bearings 79, carried by the cross members of a the machine frame, and connected, by pinions 80 and 81 and a chain 82, to a shaft 83 pro vided with a hand crank 84, one of the journals of the roller 13 is connected, by pinions 85 and 86 and a chain 87 to a clutch 88 loosely mounted on a shaft 89 on which is secured a bevel pinion 90 gearing with the bevel pinion 39 of the shaft 34. A second clutch 91, mounted on the shaft 89, but longitudinally movable on the latter can, by means of a lever 92 within reach of the driver seated on the seat 59, be thrown in gear with the clutch 88 or released from the latter. The steering roller 71 are loosely mounted on a shaft 93 supported, its middle portion, in a fork piece 94 5 and. 9) provided '1 at the end of rack 95 vertically guided relatively to the machine frame. The shaft 93 is pivoted on an axis 96 of the fork piece 94, so that it can be subjected to changes of orientation in plane parallel to the machine frame; These changes of orientation derive from the angular displacements of a shaft 97 supported by, a bearingsecured on the cross member 98 and provided, on the one hand, with an operating hand wheel 99 within reach of the driver. of the machine and, on the other hand, with a pulley 100 on which is secured cable 101 each of the sides of which, after-passage over transmission pulleys 102, is attached to an end of the shaft 93.

The rack 95 constantly gears with a pinion 103, rigidlymounted on a shaft 104, connected to the shaft 78 by the worm wheel 105 and the worm 106. l

The operation of the machine is as follows: During operation, when the finishing rollers 1 and 2 must roll on the concrete covering such a position that the clutches 91 and 98 are not inengagement; by then acting on one or the other of the bars 57 and 58, he engages one or the, other of the cones 47 with the double cone 48 rigidly. mounted on the shaft 42. The enginefi then drives both rollers 1 and 2 in the same direction and the entire machine moves onthe surface of theconcrete from left to right or from rightto left, according as the driveryhas acted on on'eor the other of the bars 57 and 58. For ensuring the propulsion of the machine inthe longitudinal direction, the crank 84 is operated so as to raise the frame relatively to the rollers 13 and 71 which bear on the ground. By acting on the lever 92 and on one or the otherof the bars 57 and 58, 'the driver causes the machine to move forward or backward and steers it by means of the handwheel 99. a

It will be moreover noted that, in accordance with the invention, the longitudinal rollers 1 and 12 are mounted, at their ends, in spherical member bearings; means are also provided for displacing these bearings in order to regulate the parallelism of these r01- ers or for causing the latter to form a predetermined angle. The hearings of the shaft 42 are, preferably, also mounted on spherical members. i

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for finishing concrete roadway coveringscomprising a frame, two longitudinal rollers journalled in the frame, an engineon the frame, means for temporarily displacing the two longitudinal rollers while rotating in either direction from the engine for driving, the machine resting on the said longitudinal rollers which progress trans versely relative to the road, two transverse rollers mounted on the said frame, one of these rollers being a steering roller and the other driven temporarily in rotation from the said engine, means for raising or lowering one of the said rollers for allowing the machine to rest either on the longitudinal rollers or on the transverse rollers, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A machine for finishing concrete roadway coverings comprising a frame, hearings on the frame, two longitudinal rollers journalled in the bearings, an engine on the frame, means for displacing in a horizontal plane one of the said bearings, the bearing which corresponds to the said bearing moving in translation being a bearing with ball and socket joint, means for temporarily displacing the said longitudinal rollers while rotating in either direction from the said engine for driving, the machine resting on the said longitudinal rollers which progress transversely relative to the road, two transverse rollers mounted on the said frame, one of the transverse rollers being driven temporarily in rotation from the engine, the other transverse roller being oriented from the steering wheel of the machine, means for raising and lowering the rollers for allowing the machine to rest either on the longitudinal rollers or on the transverse rollers, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A machine for finishing concrete roadway coverings comprising a frame, hearings on the frame, two longitudinal rollers jour nalled in the bearings, an engine on the frame,

i means for displacing in a horizontal plane' one of the said bearings, the hearing which corresponds to the said bearing moving in translation being a bearing with ball and socket joint, means for temporarily displacing the said longitudinal rollers while rotating in either direction from the said engine 1 for driving, the machine resting on the said longitudinal rollers which progress transversely relative to the road, two transverse rollers mounted at the ends of supports moving angularly, lifting jacks for angularly displacing the said supports for allowing the machine to rest either on the longitudinal rollers or on the transverse rollers, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A machine for finishing concrete roadway coverings comprising a frame, hearings on the frame, two longitudinal rollers ournalled in the bearings, an engine on the frame, means for displacing in a horizontal plane one of the said bearings, the hearing which corresponds to the said bearing Hl0-V- ing in translation being a bearing with ball and socket joint, means for temporarily displacing the said longitudinal rollers while rotating in either direction from the said engine for driving, the machine resting on the said longitudinal rollers which progress transversely relative to the road, two transverse rollers, one of these transverse rollers,

JUSTIN ANDRE HECTOR FEDI. 

